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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. squash — to crush
  7. spring — the season
  8. lean — thin
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bass — low music
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. saw — the tool
  13. object — a thing
  14. spring — a coil
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. spring — of water
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lean — to bend
  19. object — to protest
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. squash — the sport
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com